May 19 , 2019 ;
After spending roughly 17 hours in a specially-designed “meditation cave” near the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he visits holy places, but never asks “God for anything”. He also thanked the Election Commission for allowing him a two-day break during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
On Saturday, after performing a puja at the shrine and reviewing the redevelopment work on the premises, Modi had left for the cave, located 1.5-km away at an altitude of 11,700 feet along the banks of the Mandakini river.
Intermittent rains had exacerbated the cold in the area with the night temperature dipping to about -4°C.
A highly placed source in the Rudraprayag district administration said no one was allowed to meet the PM during his time in the cave, hence, there is no clarity on the time he spent meditating. He left for the cave at 2 pm on Saturday and returned on Sunday at 7 am — making it a 17-hour stay at the small cave measuring 10×6 feet.
On his return, Modi performed a puja at the shrine again.
PM Modi had last visited Kedarnath in November 2018.
Speaking to the media before leaving for the Badrinath shrine in Chamoli district, the PM thanked the EC for allowing him two days away from the poll hullabaloo.
“I am indebted to the EC that I got a two-day break,” he said.
Mentioning that he had a “special connection” with Kedarnath, he said, “I am here since yesterday (Saturday). I went to live in a gufa (cave) for two days. After a long time I got a chance to be in solitude. I could look at the Kedarnath shrine from the small window in the cave. In a way, I was cut off from the current situation of the country (elections). Alipt tha, yaheen khoya hua tha (I was detached, and was totally present in this place). I didn’t keep any communication. I was (lost) within myself. I come to the Gods but I never ask for anything,” he said.
After offering prayers at the Himalayan shrine today morning, PM Modi thanked the Election Commission for granting him permission to visit the shrine at a time when the Model Code of Conduct is in force. (Source: Twitter/BJP)
Equating the society to God, Modi said instead of asking for something, one must give to the people.
“I don’t agree with the nature of asking. Whatever capability one has, according to that, one must give to the samaj devta (the society which is God),” he remarked.
Much of the valley in which the shrine is located was devastated by flash floods in 2013. Reconstruction of the shrine’s premises is among Modi’s pet projects. He told the media, “My mission of development for Kedarnath involves nature, environment and tourism, but my motive is to work towards enhancing the experience of spirituality and spiritual enlightenment attached with the shrine. A dedicated team is working towards this. I sometimes do video conferencing to oversee the redevelopment work.”
The Prime Minister left Kedarnath at 9.30 am and reached the Badrinath shrine at 10.15 am, where he also performed a puja. At 11.30, he started for the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun.
Meditation cave
The cave was constructed last year, on the PM’s suggestion. It is partly natural facility with a washroom and a room for meditation which encompasses a cot. Available for rent at a tariff of Rs 990 per day, the cave is equipped with electricity, a heater, water and an electric geyser for hot water. It also has a telephone in case of emergencies, Wi-Fi facilities, and an oxygen cylinder.
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